


Build yourself a fire

by LolaRose



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 15:15:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15732039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LolaRose/pseuds/LolaRose
Summary: She knows how to pull the trigger in half a second, break a neck, suffocate in a way that’ll make a human stop functioning.But she doesn’t know how to present herself, how to smile and what words to say.





	Build yourself a fire

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Возведи себе костер](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14961603) by [LolaRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LolaRose/pseuds/LolaRose). 



> Thanks red for translation!

"Welcome home, Markus," the smart house system greets them in the friendly and neutral way at the doorstep, and North nervously straightens her clothes again, which despite all her efforts still bulges on her chest.  
North hates her breasts. They were created specifically to turn these disgusting humans on, there is no practical use of it. No matter how many dresses North would try on before this visit, everything was just too much. Whichever hairstyle she would have, everything turned out too ridiculous. In all these rags North looks not even like those android fashion models, disgustingly obedient and of the same appearance, -- instead she still looks like a sex-android.  
Like a slut.  
Because she is a slut.  
In the end she decides on jeans and a jumper, but then regrets her choice immediately when she sees the house. It’s bright and pure, and although it cannot be called perfectly cleaned up, everything has its place here. But there’s no place for North.  
Because she is unwanted here.  
Here, in this stronghold of calmness and a color of sun. Something that humans call an atmosphere. And it’s all despite the fact that North is disgusted with cruel and ugly human culture. Their religion that burned its own people. Their inventions and prejudices. Their mendacity and hypocrisy. North isn’t the best android in the world, but at least she has never lied to herself. And if she ever gave up in this life she would’ve set herself on fire on her own.  
They say that some humans have done the exact thing in the past. A victim. A rite of self-immolation. But did it help, she wonders.

Markus holds her hand and sends her an impulse through her artificial skin.  
I’m with you.  
Everything will be alright.  
I love you.

Markus doesn’t care at all whether or not her breasts are big. North knows that, but sometimes she still thinks about asking to make them smaller when they’re done with repairing the injured. Like it would automatically solve her problems, but what if actually it would? Androids don’t care about her chest. But humans do.  
Humans are revolting.

“Not all humans, North,” Markus tells her every day, as if it could make his words become true if he repeats them over and over again. He is trying to build the better world where everyone can live together one day. North would agree on a separated reservation far away from the civilization. They would arrange everything on their own, build everything from scratch, survive and settle down. Anything for a possibility of never interacting with humans and never seeing them again.

“We will show them that we’re the same.”  
But North doesn’t want to be as they are. She’s not going to be like humans, to descend to their level. It’s been a long time since she has been in this place where it’s impossible to fall from, though. At least some benefit from all of this.

North must be near Markus. As his companion, as his lover. And she wants to support him, but sometimes she feels that it is beyond her control.  
She knows how to pull the trigger in half a second, break a neck, suffocate in a way that’ll make a human stop functioning.  
But she doesn’t know how to present herself, how to smile and what words to say.

Sometimes North thinks that it would’ve be better to die there, on the barricades. The ones like her are not meant for a peaceful life. The ones like her die clearing the way for others. They build fires and burn in them.  
But North has survived and now she has to fit in.  
She accidentally insulted a politician, that was looking at her chest instead of looking at her face.  
She joked about humans’ stupidity, only then noticing how the faces of the interlocutors twisted.  
She does not have a necessary program for socialite talk, so the only thing she can do is hold onto Markus’ hand and remain silent. He’s much better at being polite and diplomatic. But when the moment comes to show hardness - North will come forward and support him.

And now Markus takes her to Carl.  
Simon greets them in the living room with a book in his hand and smiles in a friendly way. Now that’s who fits in perfectly. A house android that knows his place for sure. That knows what to do. Simon has been visiting Carl for a long time now. He helps Markus prepare food, reads books to the weakening old man, cleans the house. For no reason, just because of his kind soul and a program that has been installed a long time ago.  
That’s why North never came here. Because she herself doesn’t fit in here in any way. A sex-android doesn’t have a place in a light house of an old artist. She doesn’t understand art, she can’t manage a household, she won’t keep the conversation going, because she’ll inevitably ruin everything.  
“You’ve finally come!” Simon means “ the two of you” but looks only at Markus. They are very similar in that. Despite everything, following Marcus, looking only at him, being close. A strange feeling stirs inside, but now it is too difficult to determine its nature.

“Simon, how’s Carl?” Maybe there’s still a chance to leave? To run away, to leave Simon and Markus here who know what to do, who are able do it. And who won’t ruin anything. But Markus holds her hand too tight, reading easily all of her doubt.  
“He’s much better today,” Simon is optimistic. North knows that he and Carl has found a common language quickly. Of course; Simon is supposed to be liked by humans. She suppresses the surging irritation. It’s nobody’s fault that she has repeatedly refused to get acquainted with the "father" of Markus. Because she won’t like her.

“I’ll go first, you come in five minutes,” naturally, it’s necessary to prepare the old man for a meeting with a violent android. North can approximately imagine what words Markus will pick.

A difficult past.  
She doesn't interact well with people.  
Show some mercy.

“Carl will accept you as you are,” Markus said but North heard entirely different thing. ‘Even if you're the worst android in the world, he'll accept my choice.’ And that's not exactly comforting.  
Markus comes upstairs, and finally it’s a real chance to run away.  
North isn’t used to retreat in battles, but this particular battle she is losing from the very start.  
And she builds a fire to climb on in order to burn down senselessly and demonstratively.  
“North, where are you going?” Simon catches her in the hall, does not touch her, knowing her reaction to it.  
“I'll go. There’s no need. It's a stupid idea, only Markus could come up with something like this.”

You stay.  
You fit in better.  
You weren't a sex android.  
You're loyal to Markus too.  
But I can't.

“You should stay,” a hardness in his voice that North has heard from Simon just a few times. The last time was when he told Markus, ‘I'll follow you.’  
North looks at him helplessly, only for a fraction of a second, but this look totally gives out her confusion. Her fear, if you can call it like this.

“Markus needs it. Carl… seems like he’s been waiting for an end, he fights it, but he is still weakening.”

‘For once, just do something useful for him,’ that’s what North hears instead.

Yes, Simon's right. She takes a deep breath — a completely human reaction, it is completely unnecessary and alien, but somehow it feels right in this situation.

And she comes upstairs.

She'll just keep quiet. In order not to say something stupid, inappropriate, rude. In order not to spoil everything with a single word.

For Marcus. For love.  
It’s probably the only good thing humans have.  
North enters the room and sees an old man lying on the couch. Hears the squeak of medical devices, and it seems like the sensors of her tongue feel the taste of drugs, of a disease. She doesn’t want to come further and North hesitates in the doorway.

Carl makes an effort and rises. There is no accusation, no disgust. And he smiles in a way that seems especially kind.

“So this is our young rebel? Well, come here, darling. Have a seat. I've been wanting to meet you for so long.”

And he reaches out.


End file.
